Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Man alive, my bite feels weird without the aligners in. I can't tell if it is because I am used to the way the aligners make me hold my jaw so it feels weird without it like that(especially since they are out for like a half and hour so it isn't enough time to get used to it) or if it is because it has been so much of a change already. Probably both I am sure but when I try to close my mouth and bite the back molars together it is hard, and sort of makes my jaw tired. and my bottom canines feel like they stick out so much(I think it is just the attachment though).

Nothing else new, except at Easter I decided to have a chocolate snack and took the trays out and put them in the blue case and then after I finished brushing my teeth I noticed that I had somehow closed the lid ON part of the aligner. I have never moved so quick as I did when I went to click the lid of the case open. I was so happy it never got wrecked!

My family didn't notice except one cousin who wanted me to try some food and it was about a half an hour before we ate and I said no and when she asked why I said I had braces and she said "oh" and that was all. No questions or anything. I am sure at Christmas no one will notice either. Oh well, I will and that is what is important.

EDIT: It is March 29th and I noticed as I was eating that if I close my mouth-bite down on my right molars I can't really do the same on the other side. My molars no longer touch but my left bottom canine feels very prominent. It feels so bizarre!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Changed into my 5th aligners last night at midnighish before I went to bed.(and this morning when I was brushing them-WOW are they clear. The 4th set is slightly less clear than them and I didn't even realize!). There was a lot of pressure on my bottoms. They didn't fit snug but today they feel like normal and were very easy to get off again. When I ate breakfast this morning none of my teeth hurt at all. There seems to be no sore spots as of yet. This set makes the gap appear even smaller. But any excitement I get over that is gone when I take them off and it looks the same as it always did(well, I am sure it has moved, but I can't tell the difference). Oh well I guess. It makes me want to keep in the aligners at all times so I quickly start my routine as soon as I am done eating. My next appointment is over a month away, but I am getting exited to get my next couple of sets, make sure everything is alright, as well as see my clincheck of my progress so far.

Well I am going home for Easter tomorrow and I'll see if my extended family notices anything different about my teeth. Doubtful.

I took some pictures but I think I will just wait until the next set to put some up. I don't think there is enough progress to really warrant putting up new pictures.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Found this video on youtube awhile ago and thought it would be good to put on here for anyone who is thinking about getting invisalign. It is an interesting video showing what happens after your dentist or orthodontist send the molds away until you get your aligners.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Tomorrow...or tonight actually will make this one week with set 4. I just wanted to write this down quickly in case it is something of a running sensation. I have only experienced it with the last two aligners, so 3 and this one. What happens is a day or two before I hit the week mark(and lasts for a few days) is pain in my molars(either side or both(this time it is one side, last time it was both) when I eat. So much so that I have to chew with the other side or the front teeth. And this is only with really easy to chew food(subway sub for example or a soft brownie like granola bar). Now, I don't know if this is because I am grinding those teeth at night or if it is just from regular movement. I assumed that when you put an aligner in-within the first 3 days your teeth are all moved and it is just a matter of keeping them like that until it is safe for the tooth to move it again. Now I am wondering if they move at different times.(eg. front moves right away and then they go back to the back teeth. Because I noticed that with both set 3 and 4 that that is how the pain progresses. First the front teeth hurt, then the canines(though the pain isn't as bad as the molars), then the premolars and molars. So I don't know what's going on. I guess I will ask my ortho when I go in next if this pattern continues.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Don't think there is much more new info to add. I woke up early and my teeth were hurting a little bit from the way I was laying, I don't remember any of the others hurting like that. The aligner has settled on my teeth now(and I no longer feel like they are suctioned to my teeth when I suck the saliva out of my mouth). I can't really see any difference with the aligners out, but when I have them in the gap looks a lot smaller. I am sure it's just psychological but it is making me feel better. The second right incisor hurts like a mother today. Hurts to touch it, brush it. I am assuming this is one of the aligners where the focus is on that tooth(it needs to come up to line up with rest).

While I was eating my bottom right canine(the fang) keeps hitting my top teeth and it is really jarring as it is quite sensitive and creates a bit of pain every time that happens. I cannot wait until my bite is all fixed so I no longer have to worry about that. What else.......Oh! I was preparing myself for it taking 5 or so minutes to take the aligners out this morning for breakfast and cleaning and they popped out so easy! Just like my old set into its second week. I am sure it is just that I have found a good method for myself for getting them out-Because I know they are still tight!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Just popped some extra strength a half hour ago and took out my 3rd set(man, they were a breeze to take out- I will miss that!) and just put in my 4th set so I can let it do its work while I am sleeping rather than having to adjust to them during work which is kind of annoying(I always read about that tip of forums but was scared to loose 11 hours and didn't want to hold off another day to do it(damn my impatience!)...I feel like I will make up lost time with my 6th aligner which I will be wearing almost 3 weeks since my ortho won't be in on my usual day). I put in the bottoms first and my, was there a lot of pressure! and it feels like the pressure is from the front pushing them back. It is making my jaw feel a bit stiff. Then I put in the top and wanted to pull it off. It didn't hurt, there was just a lot of pressure that I, due to my memory(the size of a goldfish!), had forgotten since set 3 wasn't that bad(though, looking back it may have not been so bad because that was the good part of the appointment. Finally getting it on after the attachment process was a treat. I may have deceived myself!). My head feels a bit funny. Sort of like when you are sick and your head feels "tight" and "stuffy". The aligner fits perfectly on the top but the place on the bottom that is always ill fitting the first 2 days is there, as well as the same thing on the other side on the bottom as well.

Anyhow, that's the quick update from the front line. Just did a paper proposal and am heading off to bed. Will report tomorrow more when I think of something worthwhile to say.